[ “Chichibu-Yomatsuri” (night festival) @Saitama ]

“Chichibu-Yomatsuri” (night festival) is one of the “Japanese big three Hikiyama-matsuri festival”. “Chichibu-Yomatsuri” is held in Chichibu-city (the city is located in western area of Saitama).

“Hikiyama-matsuri festival” is the festival to pull the “Dashi (=Hikiyama)” (float).

“Chichibu-Yomatsuri” is annual festival of “Chichibu Shrine”. It has the history of about three hundred years!

It is called “Yomatsuri” (night festival), but you can enjoy a lot of events from the day.

In the precincts of “Chichibu Shrine”, you can see the “Kabuki” (a stand play), “Hiki-odori” (Perform a “Kabuki” dance on the “Dashi”), and you can worship two horse sacred to the shrine.

Also, many street stalls line up at the “Chichibu station” square and the whole “Chichibu” town. The performances of the “Wadaiko”(Japanese drum) and the “Ohayashi” (Japanese orchestra) are seen in several places. You can feel festive mood from the day.

A climax is the night of December 3. ”Dashi” and “Kasa-boko” (the large ornamental parasol) are pulled in the town with an energetic shouts and “Ohayashi”.

The big fireworks such as star mines will be set off. The scenery of the ”Dashi” and fireworks shine in the dark winter sky, are very beautiful.

There are many paid seat (6,000yen). But if there is a place that the ”Dashi” goes along, you can look well to some extent.